Master was insane as always. There was no way in this gods’ damned land she could prepare their spirits for the heinously twisted logic of his rifts. The mind was not created to understand such things in any sane context. Gods be her witness; the amount of liquor required would render them unable to judge everything else as well! …and then it hit her.

“Master, the Red Pills if you please.” She was deadly serious; but, knowing Jon’s character, it would be many moons until she lived this down. The talk of many ale stories perhaps. He turned to her without even a sliver of a smirk and deposited the white bottle in her hand. He yet managed a bit of solemn gravitas. Only then did she realize how good a liar he was. A skill she wondered if she could—and simultaneously whether she should—learn. Thankfully, a question for another time.

“Within the hour, council member Shalen-sena and your retainers will experience sights both wondrous and terrific. This is no fanciful tale from a town minstrel I announce to you. Believe me when I say you will see things next that have the logic of dreams. I pledge upon the gods that these forthcoming sights be true and real.”

Her pledge had the effect she desired, vows to the gods were never made in jest. Unless it was Jon, she corrected. For a proclaimed unbeliever, he oft spoke of his divine Patriarch and made vows to him all the time; vows she was sure the deity wanted no part of.

“To bolster your mind against these maddening visions, I have in my hand a bottle of elixirs specifically concocted to that end.” She removed one and held the transparent red egg up to the light. “They are named ‘Red Pills’, and I have had the misfortune of seeing what you will soon see, but absent its fortification. I assure you the distress is worth avoiding.”

“What guarantee do we have they are not poison?” inquired Faelyn. Kay had not thought about that at all. Being caught up in the conundrum of saving their minds, she had clean forgotten their suspicions.

Jon assisted swiftly “I swear upon the gods that the pills are completely harmless.” His pledge was, of course, next to meaningless, but they were none the wiser. “Also, I propose you choose five from the bottle yourself and then pick two we must ingest. Trusted but verified, I’ve heard people say.”

“Proceed.” Sepha gave the assent. Everyone returned to the table, and the armoured guard beside the council lady fished out five red pills. Gesturing two forward, Jon and Kay picked them up and washed them down with the now cold tea. Sepha was about to choose one herself when the guard interceded once more.

“Please wait, Mistress.” He turned to look at Kay with cold blue eyes under his helm. “Eat these three as well.”

“Is more than one safe, Master?” Keya turned to ask him.

“You could probably eat the whole bottle and be completely fine. I’d recommend it with food, though, and it would be a bit of a waste. I would have to order more. At this rate, I might have to switch to blue pills in the meantime. Also, don’t literally eat the bottle, that’s not edible.”

Jon swiped up two and consumed them, leaving Kay to imbibe the fifth. He continued, “the effect doesn’t increase. One pill is enough; more is pointless.”

“Do you take these daily yourself, given you’re around such ‘maddening’ things more often,” asked Sepha.

Kay could offer this knowledge proudly. “The initial torment is most severe, after which the mind adjusts. We have no need for daily elixirs, nor will you. One is enough, and shall always be enough.”

The pill process was repeated; this time, the elves finally took their own with a gulp. And with that, the fooled had become the fooler.

“Master, I believe we are set.”